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Awareness - Every Connection Counts

We are unwavering in our commitment to be at the forefront of building awareness for multiple sclerosis and everyone affected by it. The disease and the MS movement — those engaged in addressing the challenges of MS today while moving toward long-term solutions for tomorrow — become better known each year, but more must be done.

Every connection counts when it comes to increasing awareness and support of our cause. Every individual we connect with personally, every letter we write to an elected official, every person in our Facebook network, every poster we put up, every dollar we raise, every video viewed — each connection has the opportunity to change the world for people affected by MS.

MS Awareness Week 2015

MS Awareness Week 2015 took place March 2-8, creating excitement and galvanizing the MS movement to have even more impact in the coming year! Most important, the activities helped ensure that everyone affected by MS had a platform to be heard – to share their stories and connect with others who share the same passion – and opportunities to take action. Below are just a few of the highlights from MS Awareness Week…

The Power of the MS Community

The MSconnection.org online community was again a focal point – both for people already engaged there and those not yet engaged. During this week alone, more than 33,000 visitors representing 133 countries visited the community and nearly 600 new members joined.

Making and Sharing Connections

Thousands of people created, shared and had conversations about personalized connection images that convey the diversity, determination and passion of their connection to the MS movement. See a few of our favorites in our Facebook album, or browse them all and create your own at MSconnection.org. You can share your own image with your network on social media.

Media Coverage

During MS Awareness Week we garnered highly visible media coverage across the country, securing coverage in Times Square in New York City, on the TODAY show and hundreds of additional print, radio, television and online promotions and stories around the country to share the stories of the MS movement.

Social Media

Coordinated social media efforts leveraging the power and passion of people who care about MS resulted in a huge social media impact during MS Awareness Week. In just one week, three million people viewed MS-related posts and more than 25,000 people shared these posts with their own networks. More than a million people viewed videos shared on social media and 200,000 people engaged directly in the conversation on social media.

Ambassadors Creating Awareness

The MS movement received celebrity shout outs from personalities like Alessandra Ambrosio, Courtney Galiano, Shemar Moore, Julie Roberts, Lauren Bedford Roberts, Robin Roberts and Noah “40” Shebib – all of whom extended awareness through their networks. Hundreds of other influential individuals – from sports stars to media personalities to online bloggers – in communities around the country pitched in too!

Community Impact

A multitude of activities took place in hundreds of communities across the country during MS Awareness Week. Some of the most visible efforts included lighting up – in orange, of course – buildings and bridges in places like Cleveland, Chicago and Boston; live news coverage and other media coverage, social media campaigns supporting awareness activities; and lots of in-person community activities like programs for people with MS, Walks MS fundraising events, and other opportunities to educate and create awareness.

World MS Day is May 27, 2015

World MS Day unites MS organizations globally and raises awareness of multiple sclerosis and those living with MS to improve public understanding and support that will move us closer a world free of MS.

Together We’re Stronger! The 2015 World MS Day campaign is focused on finding positive ways to celebrate both the big and small things that people and organizations have done that help to make life less difficult for people affected by MS – things like:

Individuals, groups and organizations that help improve access to health care, public spaces and buildings, accessible transportation, etc.

Policy makers who speak up for the interests of people affected by MS

People with MS who share their experiences , raise awareness and support others affected by the disease

Family, friends care partners who support people with MS each and every day

Employers who implement great workplace policies or make reasonable adjustments that enable people affected by MS to stay at work

People who fundraise for MS

Health care professionals

The idea is that by saying “thank you” and celebrating positive examples of change, we can encourage others to do more as well. To speak up more, to fundraise more and to make changes that remove barriers to access.

How Can You Take Part?

Visit worldMSday.org to learn more and explore all of the ways we can be STRONGER THAN MS.

Educating and engaging thousands of people in the movement to end MS is a big job and the National MS Society can’t do it alone. That’s why we are recruiting volunteers for our Movement Ambassador Program.

A portion of every ticket sold through our group code will come back to the chapter, so spread the word to your family, friends, and co-workers.

John Kurtz, Left Wing for the Norfolk Admirals

John, whose father lives with MS, hopes to increase awareness and support for those living with MS, as well as their families, by using his athletic status and voice in the community. He has also raised the bar by offering a donation to the Chapter for every Admirals win.

Share why you connect

Create your own connection image to share with your network and include in our gallery, then explore the gallery to learn about the connections that will help us end MS forever.

Multiple sclerosis destroys connections. It disconnects the mind from the body and people from each other. Defy this disease with the very thing it seeks to destroy: connections. Every Connection Counts: why do you connect? www.MSconnection.org

Creating awareness is something each of us is committed to — and can act on today. By lending our individual voices, each and every one of us can lay the groundwork for the most viral MS awareness activity to date — by simply sharing.

More than 20,000 researchers go to work to create a world free of MS every day. We can stop the disease in its tracks, restore what's been lost, and end this disease forever. Our commitment to people with MS isn't to just get it done, but to do it NOW.